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Becki Willis

Forgotten Boxes

Synopsis

WINNER 2016 Best Suspense Fiction—Association of Texas Authors and WINNER 2017 Best Audio Book—Association of Texas Authors.
Named sole heir to her aunt's estate, Charity Gannon arrives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont hoping to find a link to her past. She's not looking for lost treasures; she is searching for a connection to the aunt she barely knew.
What she finds is a thirty-something-year-old mystery. A sad, secluded cottage, all but hidden amid the vines. A man's suit of clothes, tainted with dried blood and a bullet hole. Four forgotten boxes stuffed into a large bag and buried in the far corners of the shed.
These are not just any boxes. They are unopened and undelivered, left behind by the now-defunct Kingdom Parcel. All four are marked March 14, 1984, the very day her uncle, president and driver for the delivery service, was said to have committed suicide.
The undelivered boxes haunt Charity. Hadn’t someone noticed them missing? Thinking it might be fun to surprise the recipients after all these years, Charity sets out to deliver the packages.
Along the way, fate throws her into the sturdy arms of Tarn Danbury, a burly sugarmaker with eyes as beautiful as the mountain pond from which he was named and a voice as smooth and rich as the dark syrup he produces. The story behind one box is delightful. Another is heartbreaking….And one might very well be the death of her.

Author Biography

Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November of '13, that dream became a reality. Since that time, she has published eleven books, won first place honors for Best Mystery Series, Best Suspense Fiction and Best Audio Book, and has introduced her imaginary friends to readers around the world.

An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking, unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel, but believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas Authors, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University and majored in Journalism.

You can connect with her at http://www.beckiwillis.com/ and
http://www.facebook.com/beckiwillis.ccp?ref=hl. Better yet, email her at beckiwillis.ccp@gmail.com. She loves to hear from readers and encourages feedback!

Author Insight

You Just Made My Day

While in Vermont this week, I had the opportunity to meet Burr Morse, head of Morse Farms Sugarworks, just outside Montpelier. As a writer himself, we exchanged pleasantries, and I told him I had patterned the sugarworks in my book after their store. He was quite flattered and said 'you just made my day!' He asked for my card and said he would look me up. After a moment, he walked back over to me, after realizing he had already read Forgotten Boxes. He told me how much he enjoyed the book and how well-written it was. Now I was the one flattered! THAT made MY day!
If you are ever in Montpelier, take the County Road up the side of the mountain and visit Morse Farms Sugarworks!

Book Excerpt

Forgotten Boxes

She came upon the sugarhouse quite by accident. She rounded a curve, and there it was… little more than a wooden shack along the side of the road, with its telltale cupola smokestack and a woodpile outside. If she had any doubt, the huge collection vat setting at the end of the small shack confirmed her suspicions, even before she saw the sign.

“Ooh, a genuine sugarworks, like the one Tarn must work at!” she said brightly, whipping her car into the driveway. Tucked into a hollow on the side of the hill, she was in the parking lot before she realized there was an entire network of old buildings. Some of them were decrepit and had seen better days, others were worn but sturdy, the largest looked well cared for, and all were weathered by the harsh winter elements. Charity locked her car behind her and headed for the largest building, the one marked ‘Gift Shop’.

The sweet smell of maple syrup greeted her the moment she stepped through the door. The little country store and gift shop had a wide variety of gift items and treats, all centered around the maple syrup industry.